Haynes assigning this task to Foreman was only natural.


    Ste asked, "How''s Haynes doing now?"


    Foreman replied, "He''s out of danger, but still unconscious. Honestly, the fact that


    Haynes managed to take on five attackers and still get Callie out safely is nothing


    short of remarkable."


    Ste remembered what Benson had said about a mole, and hesitated, but


    ultimately decided not to mention it to Foreman.


    ...


    Sandford was Foreman''s territory, so with Haynes incapacitated, Foreman took it


    upon himself to protect Ste. To make sure nothing happened to her, he


    personally drove Ste to and frompetitions almost every day, apanied


    her at meals, and even followed her on shopping trips. He was more present than


    Joshua ever had been in the past.


    After a while, Ste started to feel a little awkward about it.


    She finally said, "Foreman, Neville''s team still has people watching over me. If


    you''re worried about something happening, just assign a few more skilled female


    bodyguards. There''s really no need for you to escort me everywhere yourself."


    Bodyguards can keep out threats you seeing, but there''s no guarantee


    against the unexpected. History is full of well-protected leaders-kings,


    presidents, prime ministers-surrounded by the best security, yet still falling victim


    to an assassin''s de. Even with round-the-clock protection, there''s always a


    chance something could slip through.


    She didn''t want Foreman''s work to suffer because of her.


    But Foreman just smiled. "Don''t worry about me, Star. I''ve already cleared my


    schedule and taken care of everything important. Haynes asked me to do this. If


    something happened because I was careless, what would I say to him when he


    wakes up?"


    With Haynes'' name brought up, Ste had nothing left to say. Haynes was still


    unconscious; she couldn''t reason with him, and could only let it go.


    Whether it was Foreman''s tight


    protection or simple luck, nothing


    happened to Ste. The scandal


    about Aurora being an illegitimate


    child finally began to lose steam. But


    the secrets the Williams family had


    desperately tried to keep were now


    out in the open, turning them into


    everyone''sughingstock.


    Time slipped by, and soon the newpetition break arrived.


    During the break, to avoid any surprises, Ste didn''t return to Neo-Vespera.


    At the internationalpetition, she


    was unstoppable, leaving her rivals


    far behind. Anyone able to y "The


    Gaze" was already at a teacher''s


    level and at this event, she was


    basically unbeatable.


    With the finals just around the corner, Ste spent most of her time practicing


    alone in her room.


    One day, while she was rehearsing in the music room, Abby walked in carrying


    lunch, with Foreman right behind her.


    During the breaks, Ste usually stayed in and insisted Foreman take the time off


    to rest as well, so seeing him there was unexpected.


    "Foreman, what brings you here today?" she asked in surprise.


    Foreman smiled. "Abby told me you''ve been holed up practicing, barely taking a


    break. With the finalsing up, I thought I''d take you and Abby out for a walk,


    help you rx a little."


    Ste hesitated, then shook her head. "Maybe after thepetition. I''d rather not


    risk anything right now."


    She was determined not to give Leonard any opportunity to make trouble, so


    she''d mostly kept to her room. It was stifling, but these weren''t normal times.


    Foreman reassured her, "Star, I


    checked Leonard flew back to


    Solmaris with Aurorast night. Even


    if he rushed, there''s no way he could


    make it back today. While he''s gone,


    let me take you out for some fresh


    air."